Newmarket hopes on show
THE outcome of the Goodwood Handicap over 1100 metres at Elwick today could determine the early favourite for the $100,000 Newmarket Handicap to be run in Launceston in a fortnight.
The Goodwood is the traditional lead-up race to the Newmarket and this year’s edition is one of the best, with many of the state’s more seasoned sprinters resuming from breaks, while others have been staking their claim as Newmarket aspirants with their efforts at recent starts.
The top weight Lord Da Vinci is a class sprinter and, despite lugging 61kg, he will make his presence felt at his first start since early June.
Lord Da Vinci, from the Scott Brunton stable, has a great first-up record, winning four and placing three times from 10 preparations.
He hasn’t started in Tasmania since finishing second to his stablemate Hellova Street in the weight-for-age Thomas Lyons Stakes over 1400m in February.
Trainer Stuart Gandy takes a two-pronged attack into the race with Geegees Doublejay and Gee Gees Jet, both of which have had conditioning runs this time in.
Spreyton trainer Barry Campbell will saddle up promising mare Derasa who is having her first Tasmanian start since solid efforts interstate in June but she comes off a winning 700m trial at Longford three weeks ago.
Derasa has drawn barrier one but, if the track is rainaffected, it will be a distinct disadvantage over the short course.
Campbell also has Teriki in the race and she has speed to burn which she could use to her advantage from gate 10.
Rokeby-based trainer Ray Worbey nominated his tal- ented mares Tough Missile and Scrutineer as two of the 11 final acceptors but, when the maximum field limit was cut from 12 to 10 on acceptance day, Scrutineer was made an emergency.
“I was extremely disap- pointed with what went on regarding the reduction of field size but I still have Tough Missile in the race and I am confident she is going well enough to win first-up,” Worbey said. “You never know, there might be a scratching and Scrutineer would then get her chance to prove herself against some really good sprinters.”
The Goodwood Handicap is race seven on the eight-event card, with the first race scheduled to start at 10.45am and the last at 3.57pm.